CN113348138B - Waste disposal units and membrane distribution boxes - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a waste disposal device comprising a container having an opening at a top end, the container defining an internal cavity accessible through the opening. The bag interface at the opening is adapted to hold the bag open at the opening of the container, with the closed end of the bag extending in the interior cavity. A pair of doors is pivotally connected to the container to open and close access through the opening and is adapted to close a portion of the bag passing between the pair of doors, the door being pivotable from a closed position to a first pivot position, in which case positions where the doors meet to close access through the opening, in a first pivot position the doors pivot away from the interior cavity, and wherein one or both of the doors are pivotable towards the interior cavity to a second pivot position. An actuating mechanism is operatively connected to at least one of the doors to bias the at least one of the doors to a closed position.

Description

Waste disposal units and membrane distribution boxes

Technical field

The present application relates to a membrane dispensing box of a type used with a waste treatment device, and more particularly but not exclusively to a waste treatment device and a membrane dispensing box for treating odorous waste such as diapers and litter.

Background technique

Waste treatment plants with odor concealment systems with membrane distribution boxes are well known. Such waste disposal devices typically include bags that are closed by a given mechanism to conceal the odor within the bag. U.S. Patent No. 6,817,164 (Mauffette et al.) and U.S. Patent No. 7,406,814 (Morand) propose such odor concealment systems. However, it would be desirable to provide a waste disposal device that is simple in construction and has the option of opening via a pedal.

Contents of the invention

Accordingly, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a new waste disposal device.

It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a novel membrane distribution box for use in waste treatment plants.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a novel assembly of membrane distribution box and waste disposal device.

Accordingly, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a waste disposal device comprising: a container having an opening at a top end, the container defining an internal cavity accessible through the opening, a bag interface at the opening being adapted to A bag held open at the opening of a container, wherein the closed end of the bag extends within the interior cavity; a pair of doors pivotally connected to the container to open and close access through the opening, and adapted to close passage through the pair of doors a portion of the bag therebetween, the doors pivotable from a closed position in which the doors meet to close access through the opening to a first pivot position in which the doors pivot away from the interior cavity, and wherein at least one of the doors is pivotable toward the interior cavity to a second pivot position; and an actuating mechanism is operatively connected to the at least one of the doors to bias the at least one of the doors to a closed position.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the top cover can be pivotably mounted to the container to expose or hide the door, for example.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the actuating mechanism has a pedal actuatable by a user, and the actuating mechanism includes a link assembly docking the pedal and the top cover to open/close the top cover.

Further according to this embodiment, the linkage assembly prevents at least one of the doors from pivoting to the first pivot position when the pedal is depressed, for example.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the link assembly has a first link that translates in a generally vertical direction within the interior cavity, the first link having a top push end that contacts the top cover to displace the top cover. Cover for opening access to the opening.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the first link is pivotally connected to the pedal.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the second link is connected to the first link by a joint providing rotational and translational freedom, the second link being pivotally connected to one of the doors.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the joint is at least one set of followers and guide grooves.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the first link has a two-pronged end that contacts the top cap.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, at least one biasing unit biases the link assembly to a lowermost position to maintain the door in the closed position.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the container includes a top portion and a base portion, the top portion being separated from the base portion to provide access to the interior cavity of the container.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the base portion defines at least one cartridge compartment adapted to receive a cartridge for dispensing the roll of bags.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, there is one of the boxes.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the base part has a releasable connection for a box in the compartment.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the perimeter of the opening has an abutment that prevents one of the doors from moving into the second pivot position.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the biasing member may bias one of the doors from a first pivot position toward a closed position.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, the interface is at least one collar.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, at least one hook is on said at least one collar and faces outwards.

Further according to this embodiment, for example, two said collars are present and on opposite sides of the opening.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a box for a dispensing membrane is provided, including: a housing having an opening, a sliding bearing support and a deformable wall opposite to the opening; a shaft supported by the sliding bearing rotatably supported; and a film roll rolled onto a shaft, wherein the free end of the film roll is capable of dispensing through the opening, and wherein the shaft, sliding bearing support and deformable wall simultaneously form a frame that provides bending stiffness to the box, and Wherein when the film roll is dispensed from the shaft, the shaft separates or splits to reduce the bending stiffness of the box.

Description of the drawings

1 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of an assembly of a membrane distribution cartridge and waste disposal device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 2 is an assembly view of the film distribution box of Figure 1 with a tear-off film sheet;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the film dispensing box of Figure 2 with the tear-off film sheet removed;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the film dispensing box of Figure 2 with the film extended;

Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the waste treatment device of Figure 1 in a bag change arrangement;

Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the waste treatment apparatus of Figure 1 in a waste treatment arrangement;

Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the waste treatment device of Figure 6 from another perspective;

Figure 8A is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the waste treatment device of Figure 6 further along the steps of waste treatment;

Figure 8B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the waste treatment device shown in Figure 8A;

Figure 9 is an exploded view of the actuating mechanism of the waste disposal device of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is an underside perspective view of a membrane distribution cartridge inserted into the waste treatment device of Figure 1;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a pair of membrane distribution boxes installed into the waste treatment device of Figure 1;

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of a pair of membrane distribution cassettes installed in a waste treatment device as shown in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an enlarged perspective view of the top wall of the container of the waste disposal device of Figure 1;

Figure 14 is a top wall of a container with a top cover assembly of the waste disposal device of Figure 1;

Figure 15 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of an assembly of a membrane distribution cartridge and a waste disposal device in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 16 is a longitudinal cross-sectional perspective view of the film distribution box of Figure 15;

Figure 17 is a perspective view of the film distribution box of Figure 16 with a door;

Figure 18 is a perspective view of the film distribution box of Figure 16 with the door removed;

Figure 19 is a perspective view of the film dispensing box of Figure 16 with the film extended;

Figure 20 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the assembly of Figure 15 in a bag change arrangement;

Figure 21 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the assembly of Figure 15 in a door blocking arrangement;

Figure 22 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the assembly of Figure 15 in a waste disposal arrangement;

Figure 23 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the assembly of Figure 22 from another perspective;

Figure 24 is a perspective view of the pedal of the waste disposal device of the present disclosure;

Figure 25 is a perspective view of the pedal of Figure 24 with the front pedal member pivoting independently of the rear pedal member;

Figure 26 is a perspective view of the pedal of Figure 24 with the box of Figure 2 slid into engagement;

Figure 27 is a perspective view of the pedal of Figure 24 with the box coupled to the pedal; and

Figure 28 is a perspective view of the pedal of Figure 24 with the front pedal member pivoting independently of the rear pedal member when the cartridge is emptied.

Detailed ways

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 , a waste treatment device (hereinafter "the device") is shown generally at 10 . The device 10 may be known as a trash can, bucket, trash can, trash can, or the like. Device 10 may be used with any suitable type of waste, including diapers, soiled waste, food, and the like. The device 10 is of the type that uses a film dispensing cassette 20 (hereinafter referred to as "cassette" 20) that dispenses film to form a tubular bag (Fig. 2). Any other suitable type of bag dispenser may also be used with device 10. In addition, the expression "box" is one of the expressions used to describe the item 20, wherein other expressions include a cartridge, a supply cartridge, and the like. The device 10 has a container 30 , a cap assembly 40 and an actuating mechanism 50 .

The container 30 forms the structure of the device 10 and houses and conceals the tubular bag containing the waste. The container 30 is not limited to the shape shown in the figures. Any suitable geometry may also be considered.

The top cover assembly 40 opens and closes the top opening of the container 30 through which waste is thrown into the bag supported by the device 10 .

The actuation mechanism 50 is manually actuated (eg, by foot) to open and close the lid assembly 40 and interacts with a pair of jaws that seal the bag to seal the odor therein. The jaws may be arranged to ensure closure of the bag when the top cover of top cover assembly 40 is closed.

Referring to Figures 2 to 4, the cartridge 20 is shown in greater detail, with components of the cartridge shown at 20s. The cartridge 20 has a housing 21 or body having an elongated shape. The housing 21 may be composed of one or more pieces interconnected with each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 21 has a cover 22 and a receiving portion 23 . The lid 22 is generally the top portion of the box 20 when used as described herein, and the receptacle 23 is the bottom portion of the box 20 when used. However, during storage and shelving, the box 20 can be inverted, that is, the lid 22 can be at the bottom and the receiving portion 23 can be the top portion. In one embodiment, lid 22 is made from pairs of panels 22A and 22B. Panels 22A and 22B may be flat, although this is optional. As seen in Figures 3 and 12, panel 22B may be recessed from the outside to define an inwardly abutting configuration. The inward abutment configuration may define an edge that catches the roll 25 as the film is pulled out of the box 20, as described in detail below. If there are pairs of panels 22A and 22B, a slit 22C (aka channel, elongated opening) may be defined between them for the membrane to escape from the interior of the housing 21 . An opening 22D is also defined between panels 22A and 22B and is, for example, large enough to allow human fingers to grasp the free end of membrane 25 . In one embodiment, lid 22 may also be formed as a single piece, as an alternative to having panels 22A and 22B. In one embodiment, panels 22A and 22B and receptacle 23 are molded together such that a living hinge is formed at the joint between panels 22A and 22B and receptacle 23 . This may allow a membrane, such as a roll, to be inserted into the interior cavity of the housing 21 . The panels 22A and 22B can then be closed to the arrangement of Figure 2 and secured to the receptacle 23 (to prevent movement at the living hinge). Ultrasonic welding, gluing, welding, soldering are options for securing panels 22A and 22B to housing 23 . As shown in Figure 4, membrane 35 may pass through slit 22C, but it may instead pass only through opening 22D. Box 20 may have only one of slit 22C and opening 22D, rather than both. If there is no opening 22D to grip the membrane 25, the free end of the membrane may be pre-arranged to project out of the housing 21 through the slit 22C.

Still referring to FIGS. 2 to 4 , the receiving portion 23 forms an internal cavity of the housing 21 through its hollow shape. The housing 23 has a wall 23A, which together with the lid 22 forms the majority of the exposed peripheral surface of the box 20 . Receptacle 23 may define a sliding journal bearing, although not shown.

Referring to Figure 2, a shaft 24 supporting a roll of bag or film 25 is shown freely rotating within a housing 21. The shaft 24 may also be referred to as a core. Shaft 24 may be a hollow tube or rod of any suitable cross-section. For example, the shaft 24 is made of plastic, cardboard, or the like. In another embodiment, the membrane 25 is rolled onto itself without any shaft 24. The expressions film, bag, tube, etc. may be used to describe Volume 25. According to one embodiment, the roll 25 has a bag made of tubular film connected end to end, wherein the free end of the roll 25 is defined by the open end of the bag. As seen below, the box 20 may be located in the bottom of the device 10 with the membrane of the roll 25 pulled upwards and hung open to the top of the device 10 while remaining connected to the remainder of the roll 25 . The other end of roll 25 is wrapped onto shaft 24 (if present). The other end of roll 25 may not be connected to shaft 24. There may be retaining means for attaching the other end of the roll 25 to the shaft 24, such as adhesive, tape or slits or clips on the shaft 24. The box 20 may be provided without the bag roll 25, with the user opening the housing 21 to insert a replacement bag roll 25.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4 , box 20 may have a rim 26 . A rim 26 is formed at the perimeter of the box 20, such as the top perimeter when the box 20 is in use. The rim 26 may consist of a portion of the cover 22 extending beyond the receptacle 23 . Alternatively, the rim 26 may consist of a flange portion extending beyond the receptacle 23 of the cover 22 . As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 , the rim 26 may be a combination of both a portion of the cover 22 and a flange at the bottom of the receptacle 23 . The rim 26 may have multiple segments that are continuous or discontinuous around the housing 21, although shown as continuous. The rim 26 may also be referred to as shoulder(s), flange, lip, strip, etc.

Referring to Figure 2, box 20 may have a cover flap 27 that protects opening 22D. Lid flap 27 may be defined by lid 22 and/or wrapper. In one embodiment, a portion of lid flap 27 may be torn away from the remaining portion of lid 22 . To this end, tear line 27A may define flap 27 relative to the remaining portion of lid 22 (eg, one or both panels 22A and 22B). The tear line may be a thin web in the wall of lid 22, or a series of perforations that facilitate separation of flap 27. According to one embodiment, there may be a window for the user to grasp the flap 27. In another embodiment, there is no door and the walls of lid 22 simply open at opening 22D. Alternatively, there may be another component to temporarily close the opening (eg, in the absence of a door), such as a label, plastic film, wrap, etc. For example, an in-mold label (IML) material wraps the housing 21 and forms a flap 27 covering at least a portion of the opening 22D. IML material 27 may have a predetermined tear strip 27A therein that is registered with opening 22D for being torn open and allowing access to film 25 . In one embodiment, lid 22 and receptacle 23 may be a single, integral piece including flap 27 (if present). The IML material may be co-molded with this single piece, or may even be considered to contribute to integrity since the IML material is integral with the lid 22 and receptacle 23 .

Now that the cartridge 20 has been described, the deployment of the membrane from the cartridge 20 will now be described. If the box 20 is provided with a flap 27 or a wrap or similar membrane (eg IML material) covering the opening 22D as shown in Figure 2, the flap 27, wrap or membrane is removed to expose the box 20 , and more specifically exposes membrane 25 . The free end of the membrane 25 can be attached (eg, taped) to the flap 27, wrap, or sheet so that the free end of the membrane 25 is pulled together. The free end of the membrane 25 can then emerge from the housing 21 via the slit 22C and/or the opening 22D in the manner shown in Figure 4 such that the membrane can be pulled out of the housing 21 while the remainder of the membrane 25 remains in in the housing 21. As shown in Figure 4, the film 25 may be a folded film roll, where as an example there are two fold lines. The free end of membrane 25 is the open end. As shown in FIG. 12 , the box 20 may be oriented such that the inwardly abutting configuration is opposite the exit direction of the membrane 25 . For example, in Figure 12, the membrane 25 is pulled from a more central position (between the two cassettes 20). Thus, when pulled, the roll 2 can be forced against the inward abutment configuration. The inward abutment configuration may act as a deflector, forcing the film away from roll 25 before it exits through slit 22C.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 10-12 , the container 30 may have a base portion 31 and a top portion 32 that may be separable or may be non-separable to provide access to the interior of the container 30 . When the device 10 is in use, the base portion 31 is located on the ground or floor. The opening 31A may be located in the outer surface of the base portion 31 such that the pedal of the actuating mechanism 50 may extend from the opening 31A. Opening 31A leads to cavity 31B which operatively receives the pedal of actuation mechanism 50 . To pivotally support the pedals, as seen in Figure 10, the base portion 31 may have a pivot support 31C (one is shown, but in one embodiment the base portion 31 has a plane of symmetry through it). Therefore, as a possible embodiment, a mirrored pivot support may be present so that the pivot support 31C acts as a sliding bearing. The pivot support 31C may be part of the mounting 31D on which the box 20 and pedals are received. The various components of base portion 31A may be integrally molded as a single piece, or may be constructed from a plurality of pieces.

The base portion 31 may also include one or more compartments 31D (two shown) to receive the cartridge 20 therein. Compartment 31D may form a frame 31F to receive and releasably support cartridge(s) 20. For example, cantilever 31E may form a snap-fit arrangement to hold the box via rim 26 . Manual pressure on arm 31E may be sufficient to release cartridge 20 from base portion 31 . There may be one or more such arms 31E. Compartment 31D may be accessible via the underside of base portion 31 (Fig. 10), where a window 31G is present to allow the membrane to be deployed into the interior of container 30 (Fig. 11). The cassettes 20 may be side-by-side, with the cassettes 20 being parallel (eg, the axis of rotation of the roll 25).

Container 30 may also be a single tubular unit. Other configurations are also contemplated, such as tubes or sleeves of fabric on structural beams or panels. Opening 33 is at the top of container 30 . Opening 33 provides access to the interior of container 30 for disposal of waste in the bag.

Referring to FIGS. 5 , 13 and 14 , upper collar(s) 34 define at least a portion of opening 33 and may be the interface between cap assembly 40 and container 30 . A collar 34 is shown, but other configurations are contemplated, such as a single U-shaped collar or an annular collar. Bag hook 34A may be located on an outwardly facing surface of upper collar 34 adjacent opening 33 (ie, on the side opposite opening 33) and serve as an attachment for bags dispensed by box 20. In this embodiment, four of the bag hooks 34A are in the container 30 (two are visible), but more or less may be present for one or more collars 34 . Four bag hooks 34A can be at the corners of the opening 33, which has a square-circular or oval shape. If opening 33 is circular, bag hooks 34A may be distributed at 0/90/180/270 degrees or 0/120/240 degrees, among many other examples. As an example, there may be two diametrically opposed elongated bag hooks 34A. As an alternative to a bag hook, the container 30 may rely on its collar(s) 34 to attach the bag, with the top of the bag folded over the collar(s) 34 and retained by friction. Hook 34A may take the form of a lip or flange. The interfaces of the bag are shown as collars 34 and/or hooks 34A, but other interfaces of the bag include pins, clamps, pliers, holes, pin and hole steps, individual collars, etc.

Referring to Figures 5, 13 and 14, an upper collar 34 may be at the top of a wall 35 having a pair of U-shaped configurations facing each other and defining an opening 33 therebetween. . Wall 35 may be an integrally molded component, such as as part of top portion 32, with a number of features that serve as functional support for the many components described below. A hinged door support 35A may be defined in the wall 35 adjacent the opening 33 for hingedly supporting a door that, as explained below, closes or opens access from the opening 33 to the interior of the container 30 while closing the bag to the interior of the container 30. The scent is sealed into the bag. Hinged door support 35A is shown as a pivot receptacle, but may include pivot(s) and/or pivot hole(s). Wall 35 may also define shoulder(s) 35B at the perimeter of opening 33 to act as an abutment or stop and prevent one of the doors from pivoting downward.

A hinged top cover support 35C may be defined in the top portion 32 adjacent the exterior surface of the container 30 for rotatably supporting the top cover assembly 40 and also for closing or opening access from the opening 33 to the interior of the container 30 . As one example, the hinged roof support 35C may be in the form of a column or upright with a pivot member. Pivoting of the top cover assembly 40 may also expose various components of the device 10 . Hinged top cover support 35C may include pivot pivot(s) and/or pivot hole(s) as shown.

Retaining members 35D may be provided on a side of the top portion 32 opposite the hinged top cover support 35C for releasably retaining the top cover assembly 40 in the closing portion of FIG. 1 . As described below, a detent mechanism may cooperate with retention fingers 35D to hold top cover assembly 40 closed. In an alternative embodiment, the retaining member 35D may be of the cantilever type, biased by elastic deformation to retain the hinged roof support 35C. Arm 35E (Fig. 5) may be provided to extend from top portion 32 of container 30 (such as wall 35) into the interior cavity of container 30 and may help maintain the door closed, as described below.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6-9 , the top cover assembly 40 has an annular base 41 . The geometry of the annular base 41 is complementary to the geometry of the upper end of the top portion 32 of the container 30 including the collar 34 . Accordingly, the annular base 41 of the cap assembly 40 rests on the upper end of the container 30 , such as on the wall 35 . The annular base 41 may also have a skirt-like body as shown in FIG. 1 to hide and cover the collar 34 in its downwardly open annular cavity. In the illustrated embodiment, the annular base 41 is connected to the hinged roof support 35C for pivoting, for example, from the closed orientation of FIG. 1 to the open orientation of FIG. 6 . The annular base 41 has complementary hinge joint component(s) 41A, such as pivot holes, pivots, etc. As shown in Figure 9, there may be a spring-loaded detent 41B to releasably connect to the retaining member 35D. Consider other interconnection arrangements such as press fits, quick connect systems, threaded joints, etc. The annular base 41 may, for example, be pivoted to the open orientation of FIG. 6 to attach or detach the bag to the collar 34 . Additionally, protrusion 41C (Fig. 5) may be positioned opposite and proximate hook 34A for retaining the membrane therebetween. The protrusion 41C may be a pair of walls. As seen in Figures 7, 8A and 8B, the annular base 41 may have a funnel portion 41D. The funnel portion 41D ensures that the waste is directed towards the opening 33 . Additionally, the funnel portion 41D may have a wavy pattern to assist in closing some of the components described below.

The top lid 42 is pivotally connected to the top portion 32 or annular base 41 of the container 30 by a hinge member 43 . In one embodiment, hinge member 43 is also operatively connected to hinged roof support 35C. Accordingly, the top cover 42 is pivotable between an open position as shown in FIGS. 5-8 and a closed position as shown in FIG. 1 . In the closed position, top cover 42 blocks opening 33 . In the open position, the opening 33 is exposed whereby the user can throw waste into the bag in the device 10 . The top cover 42 is pivotable independently of the remainder of the annular base 41 . In one embodiment, because the annular base 41 and the top cover 42 are both pivotally connected to the hinged top cover support 35C, the rotational axes of the top cover 42 and the annular base 41 are coaxial.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5 to 9 , the actuating mechanism 50 consists of linkages (ie, connecting rods and joints) that are interfaced by a user using a pedal 51 . The pedal 51 is pivotally connected to the base portion 31 of the container 30 via its pivot configuration 51A as one possible configuration (a separate pivot is another). The front portion of the pedal 51 extends outwardly from the front side of the container 30 and is close to the ground, whereby a user can simply depress the exposed portion of the pedal 51 to open the top cover 42 of the device 10 . The device 10 may be provided with alternative interfaces, such as handles, etc. Accordingly, the actuating mechanism 50 has a linkage assembly having one or more links and joints therebetween that cause the top cover 42 to open and act on the door as described below.

According to one embodiment, inside the container 30 a first link 52 is connected to the rear portion of the pedal 51 . The connection can be a pivot connection as shown, but a translation joint can also be used. The first link 52 may be connected to structural components in the container 30, such as openings in the base portion 31 and top portion 32, so as to be restricted to translational movement (ie, up and down). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6 , by pressing down on the front portion of the pedal 51 , the first link 52 moves upward. Subsequent release of pedal 51 may cause first link 52 to move downward, for example by gravity. Optionally, a spring 52' (Fig. 7) may be provided to pull the first link 52 downwardly. The first link 52 may be made from a single segment or multiple segments (two are shown) that may be assembled, such as by mating connections.

Still referring to Figures 1 and 6-9, the first link 52 has a cap pushing end 52A. The top cover pushing end 52A contacts the top cover 42 near the rotation axis of the top cover 42 . End 52A may be part of a double prong with a cam surface defining end 52A, although a single end 52A may also be present. The end 52A can project from an opening defined in the wall 35 which ensures translational movement of the end 52A. Two-pronged forks are one possible arrangement. Other embodiments are contemplated.

Thus, the double prongs define the cavity. Guide slots 52B may be formed into the cavity of the double tines. Therefore, the upward movement of the first link 52 causes the opening of the top cover 42 through the pushing action of the end 52A on the top cover 42 . Similarly, downward movement of first link 52 causes top cover 42 to move toward the closed position through retractive movement of end 52A.

In addition to transmitting the movement of the pedal 51 to the top cover 42, the actuating mechanism 50 may also have an operational effect on the doors 53A and 53B that will seal the closed bag. Doors 53A and 53B may also be known as flaps, flaps, jaws, etc. Doors 53A and 53B are pivotally mounted to hinged door support 35A via complementary pivot joint components (eg, pivot axis(s) and/or pivot hole(s)). There may be a biasing member 53A' such as a spring to bias the door 53A. In one embodiment, biasing member 53A' may bias door 53A to the pivot position of Figure 5. In one embodiment, biasing member 53A' may alternatively bias door 53A to the closed position of FIG. 1 . When device 10 is on the floor, the axis of rotation of doors 53A and 53B may be generally horizontal (eg, ±10 degrees, although it may be greater). The rotational axes of doors 53A and 53B may be parallel to each other. Additionally, as an optional feature, door 53A may abut against shoulder 35B such that door 53A cannot pivot downwardly beyond shoulder 35B. Doors 53A and 53B are sized to contact each other, thereby closing the bag through the opening (eg, attached to collar 34). In one possible arrangement, Figure 1 shows a groove in door 53A for receiving an edge portion of door 53B.

The second link 54 connects the first link 52 with the door 53B. The second link 54 has a pivot 54A at one of its ends and a follower 54B at its other end. Pivot shaft 54A is pivotally connected to door 53B, thereby forming a pivotal connection. This pivot connection may be adjacent to the pivot connection between door 53B and wall 35 . The second link 54 may be mounted in the twin prongs of the first link 52 with the follower 54B received in the guide slot 52B. Therefore, the follower 54B can rotate and/or translate in the guide groove 52B. A single set of guide slot 52B and follower 54B may be used instead of the pair shown.

The operational interactions between first link 52, door 53B, and second link 54 are now described. As a starting point, doors 53A and 53B rest against each other, closing the bag between them, and are pivotably mounted to wall 35 via their integrated pivot portions (which is one possible configuration). Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the user can depress the pedal 51 to dump the garbage into the bag. As a result, the first link 52 moves upward. The top cover pushing end(s) 52A exert pressure on the top cover 42 and the top cover pivots upward to the position shown in Figures 6 and 7. At this time, the follower 54B is at the bottom of the guide groove 52B of the connecting rod 52 . A spring 55 or similar biasing member (eg, gravity) ensures that door 53B remains closed, as shown in FIG. 6 . If pressure is exerted downwardly on door 53B, such as by throwing waste onto the top surface of door 53B, door 53B may pivot downward to allow waste to enter container 30 , such as against the action of spring 55 (if present). in the bottom of the bag. In one embodiment, door 53A does not move when door 53B pivots downward. As a result, the follower 54B will move upward in the guide groove 52B. Figure 8A shows follower 54B in contact with the top of guide slot 52B, in which case slot 52B acts as an abutment stop. If the pressure on pedal 51 is released, spring 55 between second link 54 and first link 52 will bias door 53B back to its Figure 1 position, closing the bag between doors 53A and 53B such that Odors can be prevented from leaving the bag. The release of pressure on the pedal 51 will also cause a downward movement of the first link 52 and therefore the closing of the top cover 42 . Door 53A remains in its position throughout the steps of waste disposal using actuation mechanism 50.

When pedal 51 is depressed, top cover 42 is lifted, exposing opening 33 and doors 53A and 53B, which are in a closed position (although the expression "closed orientation" may also be used). Spring 52' may cause biasing of actuation mechanism 50 on doors 53A and 53B such that doors 53A and 53B bear against each other. Follower 54A can be depressed by the end of slot 52A. The user can thus throw the object away. The weight of the object may be greater than the biasing effect of spring(s) 55 or similar biasing mechanism, whereby door 53B is temporarily opened to allow passage of object(s). This may be referred to as a pivot position (although the expression "pivotal orientation" may also be used). Once the object has passed door 53 and entered the bag, door 53B returns to the closed position against door 53A (Fig. 1), squeezing the bag between them. When pedal 51 is released, second link 54 moves downward when pulled by spring 55, exerting pressure on door 53B to ensure that it is forced against door 53A in the manner shown in Figure 1 .

When the bag is full and needs to be replaced, the entire top cover assembly 40 is pivoted away as shown in Figure 5 without the need to step on the pedal 51. This exposes the top of the bag attached to hook 34A. The top end of the bag is detached from hook 34A and can be pulled upward. When funnel portion 41D is no longer pressed against it, door 53A can move to the pivot position of Figure 5. As for door 53B, follower 54B is at the top of slot 52B and is free to move downward (while door 53B pivots upward). Thus, pulling the bag upward causes the doors 53A and 53B to pivot upward to another pivot position as shown in Figure 5 (although the expression "pivot orientation" may also be used). In one embodiment, in order for doors 53A and 53B to pivot away from the cavity as shown in Figure 5, pedal 51 must be released as the cooperation between links 52 and 54 may act as a stop. Therefore, the bag can be removed from the container 30 by pulling upward. Since the bag is part of a roll 25 or similar sequence of attached bags, the next bag is simultaneously pulled to the level of the collar 34. Once the filled bag is detached from the roll 25, the next empty bag in the roll 25 can be attached to the collar 34.

When closing doors 53A and 53B, once another bag has been attached to the bag interface (eg, collar 34), if door 53A does not pivot to the interior of the interior cavity of container 30 by its abutment with shoulder 35B , then the door 53B will undergo a series of actions to be located below the door 53A. Door 53B can be pushed downward by the action of spring 55 and gravity, and optionally by contact with annular base 41 . When this occurs, door 53A is held upward by spring 53A'. The funnel portion 41D then contacts the door 53A and pivots it to the closed position. In one embodiment, in the closed position, door 53A is sandwiched between shoulder 35B and the edge of funnel portion 41D so as to remain in the closed position, as shown in Figure 8B.

Accordingly, the actuation mechanism 50 may have two or more interconnected links. In one embodiment, pedal 51 and first link 52 are connected by a joint that provides at least one degree of freedom (DOF). In one embodiment, the joint provides a rotating DOF. The first link 52 may not be physically tethered to the top cap 42 but may instead allow the top cap 42 to float on its end(s) 52A. The first link 52 and the second link 54 may be connected by a joint having two or more DOFs. In one embodiment, the two DOFs are a rotational DOF and a translational DOF. Translational DOF can be achieved by spring 55 bias. The second link 54 and the door 53B may be connected by a joint with a rotating DOF, if not more. A rotating DOF joint may be located on the outside of the pivotal connection between door 53B and wall 35 . Doors 53A and 53B may each be connected to wall 35 via a rotary DOF joint.

Referring now to Figures 10-12, it is shown that pairs of boxes 20 may be received in the base portion 31. The device 10 is capable of operating with a single cartridge 20, but the presence of two cartridges 20 doubles the capacity of the assembly. In one embodiment, the first box 20 is emptied before the second box 20 is used. The base portion 31 may have an inward protrusion to ensure that the box 20 is oriented in the manner shown, ie towards the center in an inwardly abutting configuration.

Other embodiments include: different shapes for the door 53; both doors 53 being able to move downwards; the presence of a single door 53; ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer for the tubular membrane 25; using the device 10 without the box 20, instead having a monolithic Bags; use of the device 10 with a bag roll that is not part of the box 20; use of the box in another type of device 10, such as a bucket without a door and without an actuating mechanism 50.

Accordingly, the actuation mechanism 50 may have an equilibrium state as shown in FIG. 1 , with the open pocket 25 attached to the collar(s) 34 and extending into the container 30 . In the equilibrium state, doors 53A and 53B abut each other in the closed position with the bag closed between doors 53A and 53B. The various springs of actuation mechanism 50, including springs 52' and 55, may help ensure that door 53B remains in the closed position against door 53A. Spring 53A' may also contribute to this equilibrium state. Additionally, the weight of gravity on link 52 may exert a pulling force on door 53B. Doors 53A and 53B squeeze the bag between them by pressing the top of slot 52B against follower 54A. In one embodiment, cartridge 20 provides sufficient film over an extended period of time, whereby fewer replacement cartridges may be required.

When pedal 51 of actuation mechanism 50 is depressed, top cover 42 opens and the link assembly (e.g., including first link 52 and second link 54) no longer retains door 53B from pivoting downward unless Through the action of spring 55. However, the weight of the waste and/or the weight of hand pressure on door 53B can easily pivot door 53B into a pivoted position inside container 30 . Furthermore, by enabling both doors 53A and 53B to pivot into an open pivot position as shown in Figure 5, a bag having volume therein can be pulled from the container through this non-negligible area or cross-section of opening 33 out. This allows the user to empty the device 10 from the top.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 15-28 , a waste treatment device (hereinafter "device") according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown generally at 110 . The device 110 is of the type that uses a film dispensing cassette 120 (hereinafter referred to as "cassette" 120) that dispenses film that can be formed into a tubular bag. Any other suitable type of bag dispenser may also be used with device 110. Device 110 has a container 130, a cap assembly 140, and an actuating mechanism 150.

Container 130 forms the structure of device 110 and houses and conceals the tubular bag containing waste. Container 130 is not limited to the shape shown in the figures. Any suitable geometry may also be considered.

Top cover assembly 140 opens and closes the top opening of container 130 through which waste is thrown into the bag supported by device 110 .

The actuation mechanism 150 is manually actuated to open and close the lid assembly 140 and interacts with a pair of jaws that seal the bag to seal the odor therein. The jaws may be arranged to ensure closure of the bag when the top cover of top cover assembly 130 is closed.

Referring to Figures 16-19, the cartridge 120 is shown in greater detail, with components of the cartridge shown at 120s. The interior of box 120 is shown in Figure 16 . The box 120 has a housing 121 or body having an elongated shape. Housing 121 may be composed of one or more pieces interconnected with each other. In the illustrated embodiment, housing 121 has plate 122 and lid 123 . When used as described herein, plate 122 is generally the bottom portion of box 120. Plate 122 has a generally flat portion 122A such that its lower surface forms a planar sliding surface. A pair of supports 122B extends upwardly from the flat portion 122A. Support 122B may define a sliding journal bearing, as described below. One or both of the supports 122B may have grooves 122C. In one embodiment, plate 122 may be a single, integrally formed piece including flat portion 122A, support 122B, and groove 122C. Because plate 122 is relatively thin and may be made of polymer, cardboard, or the like, it may exhibit deformability, that is, it may bend away from its planar state of FIG. 16 . This bend allows for elastic deformation over a good range of movement.

Still referring to Figure 16, lid 123 forms a cavity through its hollow shape. The lid 123 has a wall 123A which, together with the flat portion 122A of the plate 122 , forms the majority of the exposed peripheral surface of the box 120 . Support members 123B extend inwardly from wall 123A and are positioned opposite and paired with support members 122B of plate 122 . One support 122B and one support 123B of each pair define sliding journal bearings for rotatably supporting the shaft so that the shaft can rotate itself. The portion of wall 123A between the slide journal bearings may be a door 123C that may be torn away from the remaining portion of wall 123A. To this end, tear line 123D may define door 123C relative to the remaining portion of wall 123A. Tear line 123D may be a thinner webbing in wall 123A, or a series of perforations that facilitate separation of door 123C. According to one embodiment, as shown in Figure 17, there may be an opening 123E for a user to grasp the door 123. In another embodiment, there is no door, where wall 123A simply opens at line 123D. Alternatively, there may be another component to temporarily close the opening (eg, in the absence of a door), such as a label, plastic film, wrap, etc. Figures 18 and 19 illustrate the range of sizes of opening 123 once door 123 (if present) is removed. Opening 123E extends to or near plate 122 . In one embodiment, a small webbing of wall 123A may remain. In one embodiment, lid 123 may be an integrally formed single piece including wall 123, support 123B, and door 123C (if present), although other arrangements are also contemplated.

Referring to Figure 16, a shaft 124 supporting a bag or film roll 125 is shown rotatably supported by a sliding journal bearing such that the shaft 124 can roll on its own. Shaft 124 may have pairs of flanges 124A near its ends. Shaft 124 may be formed from two shaft portions interconnected by complementary interface members 124B. According to one embodiment, the two shaft portions including flange 125A and interface member 124B are identical, whereby shaft 124 is made from two identical pieces. The piece may be molded, or may be manufactured in any other manner.

Interface member 124B may be hook-like in shape, with hook surfaces 124C contacting each other. According to one embodiment, the angle of hook surface 124C is within a given range to enhance interconnection between interface members 124B. The angular range may be described relative to the longitudinal axis X of the shaft 124 and a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X. This plane is shown schematically as Y in Figure 16 . In one embodiment, the angle shown as ɵ in Figure 16 is from 0 degrees to 45 degrees. The angle ɵ can also be greater than 45 degrees. Due to the construction of interface member 124B, the two portions of shaft 124 will not pull apart away from each other due to pulling forces strictly along longitudinal axis X, but radial forces on some portions of shaft 124 can cause shaft 124 to separate into its two part.

The length from flange 124A to flange 124A on the assembled shaft 124 is such that the flange 124A has little or no play on the distal face of the sliding journal bearing such that the shaft 124 cannot or can be minimized along its longitudinal axis X. Additionally, one of the flanges 124A may be received in the groove 122C. Thus, a four-point rectangular structure or bracket is formed by the shaft 124, the sliding journal bearing of the support pair 122B/122C and the flat portion 122A. When the two shaft portions of shaft 124 are interconnected in the manner shown in Figure 15, the resulting bracket resists deformation of flat portion 122A.

The film roll 125 is on the assembled shaft 124, so the shaft 124 can also be called a core. The expressions film, bag, tube, etc. may be used to describe roll 125. According to one embodiment, the roll 125 has a bag made of tubular film connected end to end, wherein the free end of the roll 125 is defined by the open end of the bag. As seen below, the cassette 120 may be located in the bottom of the device 110 with the membrane of the roll 125 being pulled upward and hung open to the top of the device 110 while remaining connected to the remainder of the roll 125 . The other end of roll 125 is wrapped around shaft 124. The other end of roll 125 may not be connected to shaft 124. There may be retaining means for attaching the other end of the roll 125 to the shaft 124, such as adhesive, tape or slits or clips on the shaft 124. The wrapping of roll 125 around shaft 124 ensures that the two portions of shaft 124 remain connected at interface member 124B. The wrap of roll 125 is tight enough that there may be little or no radial play between the two parts of shaft 124. The box 120 may be provided without the bag roll 125, with the user opening the housing 121 to insert a replacement bag roll 125.

Referring to FIGS. 14-19 , the box 120 may have a rim 126 . A rim 126 is formed at the bottom of the box 120 . The rim 126 may consist of a portion of the plate 122 that extends beyond the cover 123 . Alternatively, rim 126 may consist of a flange portion of cover 123 that extends beyond plate 122 . As shown in FIGS. 2-5 , rim 126 may be a combination of a portion of plate 212 and a flange at the bottom of lid 123 . The rim 126 may have multiple segments that are continuous or discontinuous around the housing 121 . The rim 126 may have two generally straight sections parallel to each other, one of which is shown as 126A in Figures 17-19. Sections 126A may be described as translation joint members (aka sliding joint members, sliders, etc.) because they may be used as part of a translation/sliding joint between the cartridge 20 and the device 10 . Edge 126 may also be referred to as shoulder(s), flange, lip, strip, etc.

Referring to FIGS. 16 to 19 , the box 120 may have a head 127 at an end of the housing 121 . Head 127 may be defined by plate 122 and/or cover 123 , although in the illustrated embodiment it is shown primarily as part of cover 123 . Head 127 may be larger than lid 123 in cross-sectional dimensions. In the illustrated embodiment, head 127 has an inverted U-shaped profile, although other shapes are also contemplated.

Now that the cartridge 210 has been described, the deployment of the membrane from the cartridge 120 is now described. If the box 120 is provided with a door 123C or a wrap or similar membrane covering the opening 123E as shown in Figure 17, the door 123C, wrap or similar membrane is pulled apart in the manner shown in Figure 18 to expose the box. 120, and more specifically exposes volume 125. The free end of roll 125 can be attached (eg, taped) to door 123C, wrap, or membrane such that the free end of roll 125 is pulled together. The free end of roll 25 can then emerge from housing 121 via opening 123E in the manner shown in FIG. 19 such that the film can be pulled out of housing 121 while roll 125 remains in housing 121 . When the end of the film on roll 125 is reached, shaft 124 is no longer held in one piece by the film wrap, whereby shaft 124 can split into its two parts at interface member 124B. If the ends of the film on the roll 125 are attached to the shaft (e.g., with adhesive as described above), pulling on the film may help separate the shaft 124 into two parts, although gravity may be enough to cause the shaft 124 to split into its two parts. In another embodiment, the shaft 124 is made from a single piece, but from a detachable material such as a cardboard shaft or core. In this case, upward pulling on the membrane attached to shaft 124 may cause detachment of shaft 124 . During the separation of the shaft 24 into its two parts, or during the disassembly of the shaft 124, the support to which the shaft 124 assists is destroyed, whereby the box 120 loses some structural integrity, and loses bending stiffness.

Referring to Figure 15, container 130 may have a base portion 131 and a top portion 132, which may be detachable or may be non-detachable, to provide access to the interior of container 130. When the device 10 is in use, the base portion 131 is located on the ground or floor. The base portion 131 may have an open-ended basket 131A that may serve as a guide for the bags in the container 130 . An opening 131B may be located in the outer surface of the base portion 131 for inserting the cartridge 120 into the interior of the container 130 . Accordingly, the upper portion of the opening 131B may have a shape that is complementary to the shape of the head 127 of the cartridge 120, for complementary sequential completion of the assembly of the cartridge 120 in the device 110, as shown in Figures 15, 20 and 21. The pedal of actuation mechanism 150 may also extend beyond opening 131B. As a possible embodiment, in order to pivotally support the pedal, the base portion 131 may have a pivot support 131C acting as a sliding bearing. Pivot support 131C may be part of mounting 131D, which has a top opening and receives box 120 and pedals thereon. The various components of base portion 131A may be integrally molded as a single piece, or may be constructed from multiple pieces.

The container 130 may also be a single tubular unit, but other configurations are contemplated, such as tubes or sleeves of fabric over structural beams or panels. Opening 133 is at the top of container 130 . Opening 133 provides access to the interior of container 130 for disposal of waste in the bag.

Upper annular collar 134 defines opening 133 and is the interface between cap assembly 140 and container 130 . Upper annular collar 134 may define a downwardly oriented annular cavity at the top of skirt 134A having a U-shaped cross-section. Bag hooks 135 may be located near opening 133 and serve as attachments for bags dispensed from box 120 . Four of the bag hooks 135 are in the container 130 (two are visible), but more or fewer may be present. Four bag hooks 135 can be at the corners of the opening 133, which has a square-circular or oval shape. If opening 133 is circular, bag hooks 135 may be distributed at 0/90/180/270 degrees or 0/120/240 degrees, among many other examples. As an example, there may be two diametrically opposed elongated bag hooks 135 . As an alternative to a bag hook, the container 130 may rely on its collar 134 to attach the bag, with the top of the bag folded over the collar 134 and held by friction.

A hinged door support 136 may be defined in skirt 134A adjacent opening 133 for hingedly supporting a door that, as explained below, closes or opens access from opening 133 to the interior of container 130 while closing the bag to Seal the scent into the bag. The hinged door support 136 may include pivot(s) and/or pivot hole(s).

A hinged top cover support 137 may be defined in the top portion 132 adjacent an exterior surface of the container 130 for rotatably supporting the top cover assembly 140 and for closing or opening access from the opening 133 to the interior of the container 130 . Pivoting of the top cover assembly 140 may also expose various components of the device 110 . Hinged top cover support 137 may include pivot(s) and/or pivot hole(s).

Retaining fingers 138 may be provided on a side of the top portion 132 opposite the hinged top cover support 137 for releasably retaining the top cover assembly 40 in the closed portion of FIG. 15 . The retaining fingers 138 may be of the cantilever type, biased by elastic deformation to retain the hinged roof support 137 .

Guide arm 139 may be configured to extend from top portion 132 of container 130 into the interior cavity of container 130 and slidably support components of actuation mechanism 150 as described below.

Referring to FIGS. 15 and 20 , the cap assembly 140 has an annular base 141 . The geometry of the annular base 141 is complementary to the geometry of the upper end of the top portion 132 of the container 130 including the upper annular collar 134 . Accordingly, the annular base 141 of the cap assembly 140 rests on the upper end of the container 130 . The annular base 141 may also have a skirt-like body as shown in Figure 15 to hide and cover the collar 134 in its downwardly open annular cavity. In the illustrated embodiment, annular base 141 is connected to hinged roof support 137 for pivoting, for example, from the closed orientation of FIG. 15 to the open orientation of FIG. 20 . The annular base 141 has complementary hinge joint component(s) 141A, such as pivot holes, pivots, etc. Retaining fingers 138 cooperate with protrusions 141B to maintain annular base 141 in the closed orientation of FIG. 15 . A detent may be present to release the interconnection between retention finger 138 and protrusion 141B. Alternatively, pulling on the annular base 141 may cause deformation that releases the engagement between the retaining fingers 138 and the protrusions 41B. Consider other interconnection arrangements such as press fits, quick connect systems, threaded joints, etc. The annular base 141 may be pivoted, for example, to the open orientation of FIG. 20 to attach or detach the bag to the collar 134 .

Top cover 142 is pivotally connected to annular base 141 via hinge 143 . Accordingly, the top cover 142 is pivotable between an open position as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 and a closed position as shown in FIG. 15 . In the closed position, top cover 42 blocks opening 133 . In the open position, opening 133 is exposed whereby a user can throw waste into the bag in device 110 .

Referring to FIGS. 15 and 20 to 23 , the actuating mechanism 150 consists of linkages (ie, connecting rods and joints) that are interfaced by a user using a pedal 151 . The pedal 151 is pivotally connected to the base portion 131 of the container 130 . The front portion of the pedal 51 extends outwardly from the front side of the container 130 and is close to the ground, whereby a user can simply step on the exposed portion of the pedal 151 to open the top cover 142 of the device 110 . Device 110 may be provided with alternative interfaces, such as handles, etc. According to one embodiment, there may be a specific interaction between the pedal 151 and the box 120, and this will be described in further detail below with reference to Figure 24.

Inside the container 130, a first link 152 is connected to the rear portion of the pedal 151. The first link 152 may be connected to structural components in the container 130, such as openings in the base portion 131 and top portion 132, thereby being restricted to translational movement (ie, up and down). Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 , by pressing down on the front portion of the pedal 151 , the first link 152 moves upward. Subsequent release of pedal 151 may cause first link 152 to move downward, such as by gravity.

Still referring to Figures 15 and 20-23, the first link 152 has a cap pushing end 152A. Top cover pushing end 152A contacts top cover 142 near hinge 132 . Therefore, the upward movement of the first link 152 causes the opening of the top cover 142 through the pushing action of the end 152A on the top cover 142 . Similarly, downward movement of first link 152 causes top cover 142 to move toward the closed position through retractive movement of end 152A.

In addition to transmitting the movement of the pedal 151 to the top cover 142, the actuating mechanism 150 also helps the door 153 to seal the closed bag. Door 153 is pivotally mounted to hinged door support 136 via complementary pivot joint components (eg, pivot axis(s) and/or pivot hole(s)). Although not shown, a biasing member may be present to maintain the door 153 in the normally closed position of Figure 15. Doors 153 are sized to contact each other, thereby closing the bag through the opening (eg, attached to collar 34). The doors 53 may each have one or more arms 153A integrally partially or rigidly connected to them such that the arms 153A move simultaneously with the door 153 . Arm 153A may have an arcuate shape as shown in the figures so as to be concealed within the annular cavity of skirt 134A.

The second link 154 is connected to the front portion of the pedal 151 inside the container 130, such as by a fork 154A and a pivot. The second link 154 can be operably connected to a structural component in the container 130, such as a guide arm 139 received in the top portion 132 in a slot 154B at the top of the second link 154, thereby being limited to translational movement (i.e. ,up and down). Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 , by pressing downward on the front portion of the pedal 151 , the second link 154 is pulled downward. Subsequent release of the pedal 151 may cause the second link 154 to move upward, such as by gravity, as the top cover 142 causes a reaction force on the first link 152 .

Still referring to Figures 15 and 20-23, the second link 154 has a door pushing end 154C. In a given situation, door pushing end 154C may contact arm 153 . More specifically, when there is no push force on the pedal 151, as shown in Figure 15, the door pushing end 154 contacts the arm 153A to ensure that the doors 153 are pressed against each other while the bag is closed between them, so that odors can be prevented from leaving the bag. As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 , when the pedal 151 is depressed downward, the door pushing end 154 is lowered so as not to hinder the movement of the door 153 . As mentioned above, when the pedal 151 is depressed, the top cover 142 is lifted, exposing the opening 133 and the door 153 . The user can thus throw the object away. The weight of the object may be greater than the biasing effect of the spring(s) or similar biasing mechanism, whereby the door 153 is temporarily opened to allow passage of the object(s). Once the object has passed the door 153 and entered the bag, the door 153 returns to the closed position and squeezes the bag between them. Therefore, door push end 154 does not interfere with movement of arm 153A or door 153 when pedal 151 is lowered. When the pedal 151 is released, the second link 154 moves upward so that the door pushing end 154C exerts pressure on the door 153 to ensure that they are forced against each other in the manner shown in Figure 15.

Referring to Figure 21, a door blocking arrangement is shown, such as one that a user would occasionally employ when a new box 120 is inserted into the device 110. In this arrangement, pedal 151 is depressed so that top cover 142 is in its open or raised orientation. When pedal 151 is depressed, door push end 154C is lowered, as detailed above. The user can push door 153 inward in the manner of Figure 21. In this way, arm 153A will engage through door push end 154 and be prevented from returning to the closed position of Figure 15. When door 153 remains open, a user can reach inside container 30 via opening 133 to pull the free end of bag roll 125 up and out of box 120, thereby attaching the free end to hook 135 with the bag open. Once this action is complete, the release of pressure on the pedal 151 will cause the annular base 141 and top cover 142 to lower. Second link 152 moves upward such that door push end 54C no longer blocks arm 153A. The door 153 can be returned to the closed position of Figure 15 with the bag squeezed between them.

When the bag is full and needs to be replaced, the entire top cover assembly 140 is pivoted away as shown in Figure 20 without the need to step on the pedal 151. This exposes the top of the bag attached to hook 135. The top of the bag is detached from hook 135 and can be pulled upward. As shown in Figure 20, the only constraint on gate 153 is the biasing effect. Therefore, as shown in Figure 20, a sufficient upward pull on the bag causes the door 153 to pivot upward. Therefore, the bag can be removed from the container 130 by pulling upward. Since the bag is part of roll 125, the next bag is simultaneously pulled to the level of collar 134. Once the filled bag is detached from the roll 125, the next empty bag in the roll 125 can be attached to the collar 134.

Referring now to Figures 24-28, one embodiment of a pedal 151, which may or may not be part of the device 110, is shown. The pedal 151 is shown mounted to a pivot 510 and supports that may not resemble those in the base portion 131 of Figures 22 and 23. The pivot 510 and supports may be simplified to focus the emphasis of Figures 10-14 on the construction of the pedal 151.

The pedal 151 has a front pedal member 511 and a rear pedal member 512 . The front pedal member 511 is the portion of the pedal 151 that extends beyond the container 130 so as to be pressed by the foot. The rear pedal member 512 is concealed inside the container 130 and is connected to the first link 152 to transmit the movement of the pedal 151 to the top cover 142, as described above. The front pedal member 511 and the rear pedal member 512 are independently connected to the pivot shaft 510 . Therefore, as shown in Figure 25, pressure on the front pedal member 511 may cause only the front pedal member 511 to rotate without the rear pedal member 512 moving.

The front step member 511 and the rear step member 512 may simultaneously define a cartridge receiving surface 513 . The cartridge receiving surface 513 may be shaped according to the bottom surface of the cartridge 120 . In the illustrated embodiment, the cartridge receiving surface 513 is generally planar, but tracks, channels, etc. may be present, with the bottom surface of the cartridge 120 being complementarily shaped. The bracket 514 extends upwardly from the cartridge receiving surface 513 and may have an inverted L shape. The brackets 514 are spaced apart from each other so as to form guide rails for the box 120 . More specifically, the bracket 514 may receive a portion of the rim 126 of the box (Fig. 17). In one embodiment, rim 126 has pairs of straight parallel sections that can be received in bracket 514 . Therefore, the box 120 can slide into engagement with the pedal 151 . In one embodiment, the box 120 is placed with its bottom surface against the box receiving surface 1513 and the straight section of the rim 126 is inserted into the front bracket 514A, which may or may not have a taper toward the rear pedal member 512 Lowered larger entrance height. The front bracket 514 of the rear step member 512 may also have this shape. In Figures 24-28, the front bracket 514 has a larger entrance height and then gradually becomes lower. Therefore, a sliding joint (aka translation joint) is provided between the box 120 and the pedal 151 . Sliding joints may not be necessary, but in one embodiment the box 20 is rigidly connected to the pedal 151 via a suitable connector, clamp. For example, the box 1120 may be bolted, clamped, or fastened to the front and rear pedal members 511 , 512 to form a rigid assembly. As shown in Figures 22 and 23, the connection between the box 120 and the pedal 151 allows both the front pedal member 511 and the rear pedal member 512 to pivot simultaneously. An abutment 515 may be defined on the rear step member 512 to define the position of the box 20 on the step 151 . The abutment 515 may be on the rear step member 512 with a spring as shown, or on the front step member 511 if present. The head 127 of the cartridge 20 may likewise or alternatively limit inward movement of the cartridge 20 . A cantilevered tongue 516 may also extend upwardly from the front step member 511 to block the box 120 onto the step 151 . Cantilevered tongue 516 is elastically deformable to remove cartridge 120 .

Therefore, when the box 120 is positioned on the pedal 151 in the manner shown in Figure 27, the front pedal member 511 and the rear pedal member 512 move simultaneously. The pedal 151 relies on the support of the box 120 so that the front pedal member 511 and the rear pedal member 512 move together. However, when the shaft 124 splits or detaches as described above, the box 120 loses its structural strength and can flex as it uses up membrane. This is illustrated in Figure 28, where the opening 123E of the box is observed to overlap the space between the front and rear step members 511, 512. Because the weaker portion of the box 120 is above the spacer, the box 120 flexes when the front pedal member 511 is pivoted. Therefore, even if the pedal is actuated by the user, the top cover 142 cannot move. This is an indication to the user to replace the cartridge 120 because the cartridge 120 in the device 110 has run out of film/bags. The user can press on the tongue 516 to pull out the empty box 120 . A new cartridge 120 can then be inserted according to the above sequence.

Other embodiments include: different shapes for the door 153; one of the doors 153 being movable; the presence of a single door 153; ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer for the tubular film roll 125; using the device 110 without the box 120, replacing it with an integral bag ;Using the device 110 with a bag roll that is not part of the box 120 ;Using the box in another type of device 110, such as a bucket without a door and without an actuating mechanism 150.

Claims (19)

1. A waste treatment device, comprising: A container having an opening at a top end, said container defining an interior cavity accessible through said opening, a bag interface at said opening adapted to retain a bag opened at said opening of said container, wherein said a closed end of said bag extending within said interior cavity; A pair of doors pivotally connected to said container to open and close access through said opening and adapted to close a portion of the bag passing between said pair of doors, said doors being capable of being moved from a closed position pivoting to a first pivot position in which the doors meet to close access through the opening, in which the doors pivot away from the interior cavity, and wherein at least one of the doors is pivotable toward the interior cavity to a second pivot position; and An actuating mechanism operatively connected to at least one of the doors to bias at least one of the doors to the closed position. 2. The waste disposal device of claim 1, further comprising a top cover pivotally mounted to the container to expose or conceal the door. 3. The waste disposal device of claim 2, wherein the actuating mechanism has a pedal actuatable by a user, the actuating mechanism including engaging the pedal and to the top cover to open /Close the linkage assembly of the top cover. 4. The waste disposal device of claim 3, wherein the linkage assembly prevents at least one of the doors from pivoting to the first pivot position when the pedal is depressed. 5. The waste disposal device of any one of claims 3 and 4, wherein the linkage assembly has a first link that translates in a generally vertical direction within the interior cavity, The first link has a top push end that contacts the top cover to displace the top cover for opening access to the opening. 6. The waste disposal device of claim 5, wherein the first link is pivotally connected to the pedal. 7. The waste disposal device of claim 5, wherein a second link is connected to the first link by a joint providing rotational and translational freedom, the second link being pivotally connected Connect to one of said doors. 8. The waste disposal device of claim 7, wherein the joint is at least one set of followers and guide channels. 9. The waste disposal device of claim 5, wherein the first link has a double-pointed end contacting the top cover. 10. The waste disposal device of any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the at least one biasing unit biases the link assembly to a lowermost position to maintain the door in the lowermost position. the closed position. 11. A waste disposal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the container includes a top portion and a base portion, the top portion being separated from the base portion to provide access to the container. Internal cavity. 12. The waste disposal device of claim 11, wherein the base portion defines at least one cartridge compartment adapted to receive a cartridge for dispensing the roll of bags. 13. The waste disposal device of claim 12, further comprising at least one of the cassettes. 14. A waste disposal device according to claim 13, characterized in that the base part has a releasable connection for a cassette in the compartment. 15. A waste disposal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the perimeter of the opening has an abutment that prevents movement of one of the doors into the second pivot position. 16. The waste disposal device of claim 15, further comprising a biasing member biasing one of the doors from the first pivot position toward the closed position. . 17. Waste treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the interface is at least one collar. 18. The waste disposal device of claim 17, including at least one hook on the at least one collar and facing outward. 19. The waste disposal device of claim 17, including two said collars on opposite sides of said opening.